ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The United States on Friday issued new sanctions targeting multiple “shadow fleet vessels” and entities in the oil sector, accusing the Iranian government of using their revenues “to support terrorism abroad and repress its citizens.”

“The Department of State is identifying 14 shadow fleet vessels as property of entities involved in the transportation of Iranian petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products,” the department said in a statement.

The sanctions also target “15 entities that have traded in Iranian-origin crude oil, petroleum products, or petrochemical products, as well as two associated individuals.”

The announcement of the measures comes mere hours after Washington and Tehran held their first round of indirect nuclear talks in Muscat.

Friday’s talks came amid heightening tensions between Tehran and Washington, with US President Donald Trump repeatedly threatening to militarily intervene if Iran continues killing protesters amid the ongoing nationwide demonstrations.

Iranian authorities have delivered a heavy-handed response to the protests, killing, injuring, and arresting tens of thousands of people.

“Time and time again, the Iranian government has prioritized its destabilizing behavior over the safety and security of its own citizens, as demonstrated by the regime’s mass murder of peaceful protestors,” read the State Department statement, stressing that Washington will continue to act against entities involved in Iran’s oil and energy sector “which constitutes the regime’s primary source of income. “

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported that Iranian security forces have killed more than 6,800 protesters and arrested over 50,000 since the demonstrations began in late December.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday said the first round of indirect talks with Washington in Oman “was a good start,” adding that the two sides have agreed to continue negotiations following consultations with their governments.

The US and Iran engaged in several rounds of nuclear talks last year, but the negotiations came to a halt when Israel launched large-scale airstrikes on Iran in June.